


Keep my body from the fire,

by wajjs



Category: DCU, Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Teen Titans - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Comfort No Hurt, Established Relationship, F/M, Not Beta Read, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:00:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26563261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wajjs/pseuds/wajjs
Summary: "Hello," he says, extending his hand, eyes twinkling with amusement, "I'm Jason Todd. I make things complicated."She smiles."Hello," she takes his hand, too, keeps holding it, "I'm Raven. And I'd like us to be a story."
Relationships: Raven/Jason Todd
Comments: 8
Kudos: 112





	Keep my body from the fire,

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write their story in little snapshots/moments through time. So that's what I did :-D

_Keep my body from the fire,_

He's leaning half out of the window, eyes tracking the movements of the world down below. The cigarette trapped between his lips is just another part of the picture he paints.

"We don't have to be a story," he says and she thinks it's a pity she never quite figured out how to draw. The lines she leaves on the napkin are thick, uneven, breaking through with ink.

It still doesn't change the fact that she tries.

"Isn't it too late for that?"

He turns to her then, eyes smiling even when his lips are barely stretched. _Let me humor you,_ is what he's saying. _I'll keep you entertained._

"Well then," he holds his cigarette with the ease he's been holding her lately, with the practice he's been known to have while touching her waist, "let's start again."

The red end, lit and warm, succumbs to the pressure against the sole of a boot. Her nose betrays her by wrinkling over the faint smell—the open window is only so because of her. There are many things about him that are like that, too.

She doesn't move from her spot on the table, book open wide in front of her, chipped mug filled with warm tea in her hands. It's all very her, inviting him in. And he approaches, knowingly.

"Hello," he says, extending his hand, eyes twinkling with amusement, "I'm Jason Todd. I make things complicated."

She smiles.

"Hello," she takes his hand, too, keeps holding it, "I'm Raven. And I'd like us to be a story."

  
  


She's a radiant pretty little thing in his bed, leg escaping the prison of the sheets, eyes closed and right eyebrow twitching.

"You know I can _feel_ you thinking," she huffs, though there it is, the charming curl of her lips.

"Oops," he offers as no apology at all, staring at her transfixed with the same adoration devoted believers have in their eyes when they gaze upon the recipient of their beliefs.

  
  


Jason kisses her forehead and leaps out of the window. Raven has words in the veins of her hands, _farewell, my love, don't do anything too stupid._ She doesn't need to say them out loud because he gets her, because he knows she'll come find him should he ever disappear.

Not out of his own volition. He's not that kind of man.

So Raven keeps weaving their story in the secrecy of her bedroom, keeps an eye out for his moving sign on the map. When she emerges and is found by someone who knows her, the question falls open easily:

"Is there something going on?"

"No," she says, with her partner half across the globe and the ghost of his kisses on the marks hidden under her clothes.

  
  


It works for them, this arrangement. There is both peace and ease brought forward by keeping everything a thing that's _theirs_ and theirs _alone._

There is also loneliness and worry when oceans pull them apart. Raven kisses his lips, presses her thumbs to the point his brows meet.

"It's alright," she promises, kisses him again when his arms wind around her hips. "I'll be alright."

"Oh I know you will be," sighing, Jason pulls her closer, feels her warmth next to his. "I will still cross galaxies to get to you."

"It won't come to that," she says and he believes her. "I won't let it. I'm a demon, remember?"

He laughs loud and from deep within his belly. The tremors of his amusement shake the both of them slightly and Raven looks at him, studies the happy lines on his face that will vanish when he calms down. And when it happens, he looks at her with liquid eyes, warm, golden and bright.

"And I'm a god damned zombie," his grin is forged by all their promises. "We are a match made on this earth."

  
  


_Hire a gardener for my grave._

"Where is he?" Raven-almost-Rage lets out and her growl is enough to chill the entire room.

She can tell she's an unexpected visit. She does not care.

_I told you,_ Rage seethes, slow and sinuous, carefully convincing, _I told you they'd try to keep him away._

"Rae—," Dick sounds this side of winded, his eyes open wide and then he winces when that tugs on the stitches over his eyebrow. "You—"

"Where is _Jason?_ ," she tries again and in this attempt she's barely holding it together. She _knows_ he's here. The map is undeniable. The fact that she could track him also means he never thought of hiding from her. Just like she never hid from him.

Barbara is the only one brave and understanding enough to reach out. Her firm hand falls on Raven's shoulder, keeps her reeled in.

"This way," Barbara says.

When she walks to the side, away from the epicenter of judging eyes, Raven follows.

  
  


Jason is ashen. His complexion is pale and where it isn't, it is filled with bruises. There's a new cut running up the side of his mouth, all the way through his cheek and ending at his temple. There are bandages on his hands, covering burns, Raven knows.

"Thank you," she says and Barbara nods, standing by the door.

"I won't bother you," Barbara explains quickly, keeping her gaze fixed on the hallway, "I'll keep the boys away for as long as you need."

Raven hums, walks to Jason's bedside, lets her hands hover over his and uses her powers to take away the heat and damage. She knows how important dexterity is to what he does. She doesn't want to see him being forced to say goodbye to part of his pride.

"You big idiot," she whispers, finally calm enough to think of all she's done. The consequences.

Outside there surely is a Bat on the prowl, tugging through threads of information, jumping to conclusions, dissecting everything about her and about _them_ to the best of his abilities. She still finds reason to smile.

"You big, stupid idiot."

  
  


Jason's eyes flutter open and the first thing he sees is the far wall in Raven's bedroom. Ever since he's come back, it's always been his first sight.

Behind him, he feels the tenderness of his love's powers, brushing his back, kissing his skin. Her own lips soon follow, pressing affections in the space between his shoulder blades.

"It's three a.m.," she says barely above a whisper and he lets out a breathy laugh.

"That why you awake?," he rubs his face against the pillow. He'd like to sleep on his other side, open his eyes from slumber to see the face of his lover. But she's adamant about him giving his body time to heal.

"You were talking," she presses up close, wraps her arm around his waist.

"Ah."

"Mhm. Nothing too incriminating, though. So don't worry."

"That's good," he says then, moves his arm to hold her hand closer to his chest. There is no scar tissue on his own. "Hey."

"Hey yourself."

He smiles.

"I'm glad we are a story."

Raven gives his fingers a squeeze.

"I'm glad we are, too."


End file.
